Collapsible box



June 30, 1925. 1,544,311

F. GRAFFENB ERGER COLLAPSIBLE BOX Filed June 15. 1922 2 Sheets-Shet 2 7' I1 Z2 .niiiiilllmm 1 A TTORNEYJ'.

Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I FRIEDRICH GRA FFENBERGER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

Application filed June 15, 1922. Serial No. 568,554.

To all whom. it may concem:

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH GRAF'FEN- BERGER, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and .State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boxes, of which the following of; to provide simple easily manipulated fastenings which are connected with the 2 boxesso that they are always available for holding the covers securely closed, thereby dispensing with string or other extraneous means for the purpose; and generally to improve the construction and increase the utility of boxes of this type.

It consists in the construction, arrange ment and combination of parts asheremafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like. characters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a collapsible boxembodying the invention, knocked down and spread flat, in condition for storage and transportation in small compass; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the box set up in condition for use, with the cover open; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the box closed; Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 55, Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the box, which may be made of any suitable material such as heavy paper or pasteboard, comprises a bottom member 1, side members 2 and 3, end members 4, and a cover member 5, formed integrally with one another from a single sheet of material. The bottom, side and cover members are connected with one another on parallel folding lines, which are preferably scored or creased to facilitate folding, as indicated by dotted lines 6 in Fig. 1. The end members or sections 4, are connected with the bottom member or section 1 on folding lines 7 at right angles to the lines 6, and referably creased or scored to facilitate fol ing.

The end members 4 are each formed adjacent their ends with two angular locking slits 9 mainly transverse to the folding lines 7, and the side members 2 and 3 are extended at the ends be and the score lines 7 and formed into hoo ed tabs 10, adapted when the box is erected tobe folded inwardly over or outside of the end members 4 and tucked through the slits 9 into interlocking engagement with the end members, as shown in Fig. 2, the tabs being severed from the adjacent ends of the end members 4, and creased 0r scored along the lines 7, to facilitate folding them inwardly over the end members.

The cover member 5 is formed at the ends with flaps 12, adapted to fold downwardly along the score lines 7 over the end members 4 and provided at the ends with downwardly extending tongues 13, which when the box is set up and the cover closed, are inserted between the end members 4 and the corner tabs 10 as shown in Fig. 3, thereby reinforcing, and staying the corners of the box. Between the tongues 13 the flaps 12 overlap the upper olfset ends of the slits 9 and the upwardly projecting points of the tab hooks inserted therein, thereby securely holding the hooked tabs in interlocking'engagement with the end members 4 and further contributing to the firmness and stability of the box ends and corners.

Forfastening and holding the cover member 5 closed, as shown in Fig. 3, the side member 2 is formed or provided with one -or more straps adapted to be folded inwardly over the cover member as shown in Fig. 3, and formed with enlar ed arrowor T-shaped heads 15, adapted or interlocking and releasable enga ement with U- shaped slits 16, formed in t e cover member.

To stiffen the edge of the side member 2, to which the fastening straps are attached, and to close the joint between it and the cover member when the box is closed, the

in Fi 1 and 2, with an inwardly folding flap 1%? from which the fastening straps are severed at the sides when they are formed inte ally with the box.

' T 0 box as thus far described, is adapted for containing and carrying various articles such as clothing, and may be made in different sizes and of various dimensions.

As shown in the drawing, it is particularly designed for holding and candling or inspecting. eggs or other articles, such as certain kinds of candies which it is desirable to keep out of contact with one another for preventing breakage or injury.

For this and similar purposes, the bottom and the cover members 1 and 5 are either or both formed with adjustable or yielding partition leaves or members 18, which are bent obliquely and oppositely inward so as to embrace and hold between them and the adjacent side members 2 and 3 eggs, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 5, or other fragile articles which it is necessary or desirable to separate from one another. The partition leaves or members 18 are severed from one another and from the box member or members to which they are attached, preferably on transverse lines 19, and intersecting diagonal or oblique lines 20, and are folded inwardlyon diagonal or oblique lines '21, which are preferably creased or scored, thereby forming diamondshaped openings 22, through WhlCll eggs or other articles contained in the box are exposed to view.

Each pair of obliquely and oppositely infolded yielding leaves 18, diverge from each 4 other towards the adjacent side member 2 or 3, and two oppositely located pairs-of such leaves, make, with said side member, an elastic pocket or compartment, conformable to eggs or other things of varying size and shape. i

For holding .and inspecting eggs, the openings 22 are located in the bottom and cover members of the box or case opposite one another, so that the light from a candle I or other source will pass through the individual eggs contained in the box or case, and the operation of testing the eggs by candling is thus greatly facilitated.

Various modifications in the minor details of construction and arrangement of parts of the box to adapt it to the various uses for which it'is intended and suitable, may be made without departure from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible box comprising integrally formed bottom, side, end and cover members, the end members each formed with two transverse slits, the side members formed with hooked tabs adapted to fold over the end members and to interlock with the slits therein, and the cover member formed with end flaps adapted to fold over the end members and provided with tongues adapted to pass in closing between the end members and the tabs and to stay the corners of the box.

2. A collapsible box comprisingintegrally formed bottom, side, end and cover members, the side and end members formed with interlocking corner tabs and slits, the cover member formed with a slit. and one side member provided with a strap foldable over the cover member and having an enlarged headadapted for interlocking engagement with the slit in the cover member tohold it closed.

.3. A collapsible box comprising integrally formed folding bottom, side, end and cover members, the side and end members formed with interlockin corner tabs and slits, the cover member formed transversely to its free edge with looking slits and the side releasable engagement with the slits in the.

cover member. Y

4. A collapsible box comprising integrally formed folding bottom, side, end and cover members, the side and end members formed with interlocking corner tabs and slits, the cover member formed adjacent and transversely to its free edge with a number of pairs of locking slits and the adjacent side member formed at its upper edge with a flap adapted to fold inside of the cover and .with looking straps severed at the sides from the flap and having enlarged heads adapted to fold over the cover and to interlock with the slits therein.

5. A collapsible box comprising opposite members provided with obliquely and oppositely infolded yielding leaves, two oppositely looated pairs of such leaves forming an elastic compartment.

6. A collapsible box comprising opposite members provided with oppositely and ob liquely infolded yielding leaves out therefrom and forming opposite sight openings therein, each pair of such leaves diverging towards an adjacent side member, and two provided with interlocking tabs and slits, said cover member being rovided at opposite ends thereof, with m having tongues adapted and arranged to inforce the corners of said box and to cooperate with said tabs to hold the latter in interlocking relation with said slits.

8. A collapsible box comprising a bottom member rovide with side. and end members at opposite edges thereof and a cover member connected to one of said side members, each of said end members being provided with parallel transverse slits, said side members being provided at the ends thereof with tabs adapted and arranged to interlock with said slits, said cover member being provided at opposite ends thereof with flaps having tongues adapted and arranged to'reinforce the corners of said box and to cooperate with said tabs to hold the latter in interlocking relation with said slits.

9. A collapsible box comprising a bottom member provided with side and end members at opposite edges thereof and a cover member connected to one of said side members, said side and end members being provided at adjacent ends thereof. with means for holding said members in assembled relation, and means ada ted and arranged to hold said cover mem r in closed position and to close the joint between the same and the corresponding side member, said means comprising a flap formed inte ally with mem member provided with side and end mem-- bers at oppositeedges thereof and a cover member connected to one of said-side members, said side and end members being pro: vided at adjacent ends thereof with means for holding said members in assembled relation, and means adapted and arranged to hold said cover member in closed position and to close the joint between the-same and the corresponding side member, said means comprising a flap formed integrally with said side member and adapted to be folded inside of said box, and a lock comprising a stra having a portion thereof cutfrom 'sai flap, said. cover member being provided w1th a slit arranged to receive said strap.

In witness whereof I hereto aflix my signature. FRIEDRICH GRAFFENBERGER. 

